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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29109519">Constant Agitation</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellonwy/pseuds/Ellonwy'>Ellonwy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miss Scarlet and the Duke (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Pre-series scene</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:42:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29109519</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellonwy/pseuds/Ellonwy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Pre-series scene (I might expand?) of William approaching Eliza with a request.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eliza Scarlet/William 'The Duke' Wellington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>72</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Constant Agitation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Marathoned this on PBS and am obsessed. Working my way through a second viewing, too! I need more friends who are in love with this show.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>William stood on her doorstep, hand hovering over the knocker. He had already spent much of last night pacing his office, deliberating on whether he really needed to do this. His head ached and he wasn't sure if it was from the late night or whiskey. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He really couldn't withstand another sleepless night over this. </p><p>He knocked.</p><p>The Scarlets' housemaid answered the door.</p><p>"He's out, at the office, sir."</p><p>"I'm not here to see him. Is Miss Scarlet in?"</p><p>She blushingly gave him a once-over look, shoes to hat, and stepped away from the door, back into the house to let him in. He stepped in and followed her to the drawing room.</p><p>"I'll go and fetch her."</p><p>William removed his hat and worried it in his hands. He stood by the fireplace and pretended to look at the painting above it while his head raced. He wasn't an outwardly nervous person but what he was about to do was going to break many rules and was going behind his mentor's back.</p><p>Eliza was smart. Insufferable, frustrating, but smart. And he needed her, though he'd be damned to tell her just how much.</p><p>The door swung open and Eliza swept in. William turned on his heels to face her.</p><p>"William? Is my father okay?" she said in a worried voice, eyes searching his face.</p><p>"Yes, yes.” He paused. “Er, no."</p><p>She looked at him, bemused. "Well, which is it?"</p><p>"I mean, I haven't seen your father lately so I cannot report on him. I've come to see you."</p><p>Eliza looked taken aback but some recognition passed through her eyes and she swiftly hid her emotions.</p><p>"Ah. I see." She sat on the settee, spreading her skirts about her and fiddling with a few folds longer than necessary. She seemed to be preparing herself for something. After a while, she finally looked up at him. "Well?"</p><p>William's fingers were twisting his hat around by the brim. He refused to pace, he would not pace. He'd worried all night about how he was going to approach this, what he was going to say, what he could offer. He needed to protect his image and hers. Or her father would murder him.</p><p>Eliza continued to look at him piercingly. If he were any younger, he would've squirmed. </p><p>"William. I do not have all day and I'm sure you certainly do not, either."</p><p>He cleared his throat.</p><p>"Eliza. I, ah, know we have our differences and that we do not entirely agree with one another on many things. I would not come to you if I were in my right mind, this is honestly probably one of the worst ideas I've ever had and I am very reluctant. We are constant agitation to one another. However, I find myself in a position where I must ask you for your hand - "</p><p>He took a step towards her, dropping his hat in the process. He swooped down to pick it up and simultaneously Eliza sprang from the couch.</p><p>"No!"</p><p>"Eliza?" His face contorted in confusion, he had not expected a rejection. This was something he felt she would have looked forward to, it might as well be Christmas, for the gift he was offering her.</p><p>"No, William, and you cannot fight me on it. Honestly, what kind of proposal is this? How demeaning."</p><p>He inwardly sighed, she was getting fired up, if he didn't stop her. He’d fumbled over the beginning, he had tried to rehearse today last night, but Eliza made him a bumbling fool sometimes. He mentally kicked himself, wishing he were more elegant.</p><p>"Eliza - "</p><p>"'Worst idea' - I am <i>not</i> a worst idea, in fact, I am a very exceptional one, and I pity you for not seeing that and - "</p><p>"Eliza."</p><p>"I do hate to say you are right but will this once, you <i>are</i> a constant agitation to me and the idea of us spending our lives together sounds like a particular kind of hell - "</p><p>
  <i>Oh.</i>
</p><p>"Eliza."</p><p>"And the fact that you are asking for my hand while my father is not here is insulting - "</p><p>"Eliza!" He was so close to laughing at this ridiculousness, an absolute muddle on his part, but he knew if he laughed it would only supply her more fuel to berate him with.</p><p>"You are an entirely unsuitable husband, a woman who would agree to any sort of marital arrangement with you would find themselves competing with your whores and whiskey. You'd make a terrible husband - "</p><p>"That's <i>enough!</i>"</p><p>She stopped short.</p><p>"You've done your job, you've insulted me far enough. A terrible husband? The idea of you as a wife is laughable." He sniffed, putting his fingers to his forehead. His head was really aching now and the humorous moment had passed.</p><p>He'd come to her anxious about asking her but now he roiled with anger. Him, a terrible husband? Any woman would be happy to have an offer from him, a respectable detective with a blossoming career. What did she have to offer? A brain too smart for most men and a mouth that would get her slapped by many.</p><p>She was beginning to open her mouth when he cut her off before she started again. He shouldn’t have said she was laughable, he didn’t believe that was true, but - no, not now.</p><p>"This proposal, as you call it, is a request for your hand in help. In a case. Not," he uncomfortably grimaced, "your hand in marriage."</p><p>Eliza opened her mouth and then shut it. "Oh."</p><p>They looked at each other, trying to study each other's faces. William was trying very hard to reign in his anger and find the humor he had just second ago. The case he was struggling with needed her and if he lost her because of one of their fights, he'd be lost. </p><p>Eliza's face was hard to read but he guessed her excitement to aid him with an official case was battling with her own feelings of frustration. Something else was there, too, disappointment, perhaps? He let the thought pass, he couldn’t process that look right now, not with the current situation pressing on them.</p><p>Eliza finally spoke. "You disapprove of me aiding my father in his work, why are you coming to me? I won't say I'm not thrilled to help you, if you'll still let me after our misunderstanding. But father needs work and would gladly help you." She was looking for the trick, the bad news that came with this joyful offer.</p><p>He pointed at the settee. "Would you sit down, please? So that we may discuss business."</p><p>Her face lit up with a smile and she sat quickly. This time there was no fiddling with skirts, she was leaning forward, face in palm. She signaled she was ready to listen.</p><p>William pulled up his trouser legs as he sat across from her. "Look, I've got a particularly rough case right now that I'm getting pressure from my superiors to solve as soon as possible. It involves members of the peerage, so they are eager to have this solved as soon as possible." He hesitated, about to show a vulnerable part of him. "I'm coming to you, over your father, because I don't want him disappointed in me."</p><p>Eliza's face softened and she quickly interjected, "My father could never be disappointed in you."</p><p>"Yes, well. Consulting with you also has the benefit of being off the record. My supervisors want this solved quietly and would be very unhappy if they learned this high priority case was shared outside our building. It requires some, ah, secrecy and discretion."</p><p>Eliza tapped her finger against her chin, considering his information. "And what do I get out of this? It won't be fame and fortune."</p><p>"No." He cleared his throat. "Consider it a chance to work on a real case for once, to test your, ah, abilities."</p><p>"Abilities you don't think I should have."</p><p>"Eliza." This time he said it pleadingly. "I don't want to fight, I came over here with my best intentions. Could I have started our conversation on a better foot? Yes." He hoped she realized he was apologizing without saying the word ‘sorry.’</p><p>Now came the terms of his request. </p><p>"I will have to ask you to keep the information to yourself and to never share it. Your father cannot know. Yes, I understand gaining experience you cannot refer to in the future seems futile."</p><p>Eliza leaned back, arms folded, and was gazing off into a corner of the room, a fierce deliberation going on in her head. He was glad he did not live inside her head but his had not been a delightful place these past twenty-four hours, either. </p><p>The longer they sat in silence, the more uncomfortable he became. He needed her help, damn her. He was probably going to play right into her plans with his offer, she was likely three moves ahead of him, had predicted this, and was playing him, but he needed her.</p><p>"I'm prepared to offer myself to you, in any way that you need, in the future. Once. No fighting you on it, though I may have questions."</p><p>Her blue eyes snapped to his. She knew exactly how hard it was for him to offer this, how valuable this could be for her. Eliza looked giddy, positively thrilled. Maybe this had not been the offer she was expecting, maybe he outplayed himself. </p><p>With almost no hesitation, she replied, "Yes. Yes, I'll happily help. I want this in writing, however."</p><p>"Done." He would thank her when it was over though he was sure he would not feel thankful when she cashed the offer in.</p>
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